Congress gaiter



(No Model.) 7

L. J. LOUD.

CONGRESS GAITER. v No. 385,518. Patented July 3, 1888..

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' tion ofthe foot.

UNITED STATES PATENT CrEicE,

LEMUEL J. L OUD, OF ROCKLAND, MASSACHUSETTS.

CONGRESS GAITER.

EBPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,518, dated July 3, 1888.

Application tiled March 1, 1887.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be'it known that I, LEMUEL J. LOUD, of Rockland, county of Plymouth, and State of Massachusetts, haveinventedan Improvement in Congress Gaiters, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to provide a Congress gaiter with a top piece having an expansiblo fore part, whereby greater case is given to the foot and less strain brought upon the'usual elastic ankle-pieces in the sides of the top piece.

In carrying out this invention I have shown the top piece as composed of two heel portions seamed together, two elastic ankle pieces seamed to the heel-pieces, two front or fore pieces seamed to the elastic ankle-pieces, and a strip of elastic material placed upon the rear side of the fore pieces and seamed thereto, the said elastic strip thus serving as a connection between and joining the fore pieces but permitting them to be spread apart. The fore pieces are each provided with a series of eyelets, and an elastic lacing-cord is employed, which cord tends to limit the extent of separation of the fore pieces over the instep por- The lining ofthe fore part of the top piece is preferably slitted to allow the fore pieces to be separated.

Figure 1 shows in perspective a Congress gaiter provided with a top piece having an expansible fore part; and Fig. 2, a rear side view of the two fore pieces of the top piece, showing the slitted lining broken away to expose the elastic strip.

The top of the shoe,as herein shown,eonsists of two heelpieces, 2 3, two elastic ankle portions, 4 and 5,and two front pieces, 6 7, secured together and to the vamp a and quarter a, as shown in the drawings. a is the sole and a the heel. The front pieces, 6 7, back of their edges are united by means of anelastic strip, 8, preferably stitched, as at 9, to the said front pieces. The edges of the front pieces are provided with a series of eyelets, 12,0r equivalent lacing-studs to receive a lacingcord, c, which is elastic, for thereby the cord may co-operate Serial No. 229,304. (No model.)

with the elastic strip 8 in controlling the extent of separation of the front pieces. The lining a within the front pieces of the top is slitted orleft open, as shown in Fig. 2, to permit the two parts to be separated from each other; but it is obvious that the said lining under the strip 8 may be omitted, or the lining may have in it a suitable folding ply.

\Vhen Congress gaiters are first worn, the elastic ankle portions draw very tightly about the ankle and instep portion of the foot and are uncomfortable; but later, owing to strain,

the said elastic ankle portions lose their elasticity, and as a result the top piece of the gaiter becomes too loose to be comfortable; but by employing the elastic strip 8 herein shown and providing the lacing-cord, as described, to limit its extent of movement, the top piece of the gaiter may be so adjusted as to cause very little strain upon the ankle-pieces when the gaiter is first put on, and as the said ankle-pieces gradually become Worn and lose their elasticity the lacing-cord may be drawn taut, thereby causing the top piece to snugly fit about the ankle and instep portion of the foot.

In Congress gaiters the quarters extend up over the ankles, supporting them; but when new the ankle-gores in the gaitcrs draw very hard upon the ankles and are very stiff. These qualities cause great tension of the shoe upon the wearers instep, and to relieve this the elastic gore and elastic lacer are introduced. When the shoe is first used, the clasticity of the instep-gore may he unlimited; but as the ankle-gores are stretched and lose their original stiffness and shape, which soon occurs, the elastic lacer may be utilized to draw up the ankle-gores and limit the movement of the instep-gore. The instep-gore, not being exposed to the same and as great stretch and liability to rupture as the ankle gores, will not be distorted as soon as the ankle'gores, if at all. It will be seen, therefore, that adding the elastic instep-gore and the elastic lacer to a Congress gaiter greatly enhances its stability of shape and adds to its comfortableness. It is to be observed, also, that this instep-gore takes the strain of a high instep from the upper and the ankle-gores, In testimony whereoflhave signed myname and thus admits of a greater range of fitting to this specification in the presence of two sub quality in such shoes. scribing Witnesses I claim- In the herein-described boot or shoe, the combination, with the elastic front provided I with the elastic lacing, of the elastic side gores, \Vitnesses: the two front pieces, 6 and 7,and the two heel- CHAS. WV. HOWLAND, pieces 2 and 3, all substantially as and for the AMOS A. PHELPs.

LEMUEL J. LOUD.

1o purpose described. 

